Recently, there is a known hermetic scroll compressor which includes a hermetic container in which a partition plate is provided and a low-pressure space separated by the partition plate accommodates a compression mechanism including a fixed scroll and an orbiting scroll and an electric motor that drives and rotates the orbiting scroll. In such a compressor, a boss portion of the fixed scroll is fitted in a retaining hole of the partition plate, and a refrigerant compressed by the compression mechanism is discharged through a discharge port of the fixed scroll into a high-pressure space separated by the partition plate (for example, see Patent Literature (PTL) 1).
In such a compressor, since the compression mechanism is provided in the low-pressure space, force is exerted on the fixed scroll and the orbiting scroll in opposite directions during operation of the compressor.
Therefore, in a known compressor, a chip seal is provided on a sealing surface between the fixed scroll and the orbiting scroll to improve the sealing properties of a compression chamber formed between the fixed scroll and the orbiting scroll.
In order to increase the efficiency of the compressor, however, it is preferred that the chip seal be eliminated and back pressure be applied to the orbiting scroll or the fixed scroll. Accordingly, there is another known compressor which applies back pressure to the fixed scroll and presses the fixed scroll against the orbiting scroll to improve the sealing properties of the compression chamber during operation of the compressor (for example, see PTL 2).
FIG. 14 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the scroll compressor disclosed in PTL 2. Compressor 111 includes fixed scroll 301, orbiting scroll 401, and electric motor 801. Compression chamber 501 is formed between fixed scroll 301 and orbiting scroll 401.